Ring grinding machine



March 2, I94& J. H. RlEDLlNG 2,437,002

RING GRINDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 27, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 2,1948. J. H. RIEDLING RING GRINDING MACHINE Filed Jail. 27, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Joy/v 4 /504 l/Yg; BY

Mardl 1948- .J. H. RIEDLING RING GRINDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 27, 194-7 5Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Jaw/v Al fiuou/vz;

March 2, 1948. -J. H. RIEDLING RING GRINDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 27, 19475 Sheets-Sheet 4 I INVENTOR.

Jon/v ll 0/504 mm M Marbh 2, 1948. J. H. RIEDLING 2,437,092

RING GRINDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet; 5

Filed Jan. 27, 1947 Patented Mar. 2, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICERING GRINDING MACHINE John H. Riedling, Memphis, Tenn., assignor ofone-half to Margaret Wilkerson, Memphis,

Tenn.

Application January 27, 1947, Serial No. 724,611 Claims. (01. 51 1o3)vidually cast rings to remove the inequalities of the interior surfacesof the rings and bring these interior surfaces to the desiredcylindrical or other form, and to subsequently grind the ring exteriorsso that the wall thicknesses will be uniform. In accomplishing theseoperations, a roup of rings are hung around a grinding wheel and thewheel is shifted, contacting the rings with and holding them againstrubber faced rollers by which the rings are turned until internalgrinding is completed. Subsequently the wheel and rings are retracted,the rings are removed, and a new group of rings is put in place and theoperation repeated, and substantially the same sequence of operations isfollowed for external grinding. Ring removal and placing is ordinarilydone by a helper and the grinding by an experienced operator.

In both cases, the grinding operations are stopped during ring removaland replacement, the operating speed is substantially cut in half, andthe machine operator and his helper are alternately idle substantiallyone-half of the time of each.

The primary object of the invention is:

To provide in a machine for grinding and finishing individually castpiston rings, dual means for separately supporting groups of rings forgrinding, means for rotating said rings, means for grinding said rings,and means for shifting said supporting means to alternately bring firstone and then the other thereof and the rings carried thereby intodriving and grindin relation with said driving and grinding means andconcurrently moving the other thereof away from said means and intoposition for unobstructed removal and replacement of the rings carriedthereby during continuance of grinding action on the other thereof.

The meansby which the foregoing and other objects are accomplished andthe manner of their accomplishment will readily be understood 2 f fromthe following specification upon reference to-the accompanying drawings,in which:

Fig. 1 is asectional elevation of the machine as set up for internalgrinding, taken on the line I-I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a related plan view.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation with the bed. partially shown in section. i

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional plan of the bed taken on the lineIV-IV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation indicated by the arrows VV of Fig, .2,showing the ring rotating drive.

Fig. 6 is a sectional end elevation taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 2.

Fig. '7 is a sectional elevation taken on the line VII-V11 of Fig. 8,showing the machine set up for external grinding of the rings.

Fig. 8 is the corresponding. plan view,

Fig. 9 is an end elevation indicated by the arrows IX--IX of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation taken on the line X X of Fig. 8.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicatedby numerals:

In all of the views, 15 is a bed which is preferably supported, asindicated in Fig. 3, by legs l1. Mounted transversely across one end ofthe bed I5 is a uide member l9 which may be longitudinally oscillatablethereon and be confined and guided in such oscillation by gibs 20. Theguide member [9 slidably supports an integral slide 2| which is confinedin the guide member by gibs 23, the slide 2| being .shiftably movable bya manually operable handle 25. The lower end of the handle is pivotallysecured to a bracket 21 extending from the bed 15, or the guide member,and the handle is coupled to the slide by links 29.

For internal grinding, heads 3| are mounted on the slide 2|, the heads'journalling parallel shafts 33, which are driven through pulleys 35, asby belts 31, indicated in Fig. 1 only. The shafts 33 are disposedlongitudinally with respect to the bed, and oppositely to the pulleys 35extend inwardly beyond the heads 3| and carry abrasive drums 39 aboveand adjacent the center of the bed. The heads 3| also carry ringsupports 4| which extend inward into overlying relation to the abrasivedrums 3%, these supports being each adapted to independently hold agroup of rings 43 around, but out of contact with the grinding wheels. I

Mounted on the opposite end of the bed l5 are brackets 45 which journala longitudinally disposed shaft 49. The shaft 49 extends outward beyondthe bed and has secured thereon a pulley I through which it is drivenand gears 53 and 55 which it drives. Pivoted on the shaft 49 are arms 51and 59 which respectively carry heads 99 and BI. The heads 60 and BIjournal shafts 63 and 65 which extend inward parallel with the drums 39into overlapping relation thereto and carry rubber faced ring rotatingrolls 61 and 99. At their outer ends the shafts 63 and 65 carry gears 1|and 13 which mesh with the gear 53 by which they are driven. The arms 51and 59 extend oppositely also from the heads 69, GI and are coupledthrough links 15 and 19 to a nut 8i mounted on a screw 83, which iscarried by a bracket 84 and which is manually adjustable to shift thearms 51 and 59 about the shaft 19 and vary the spacing of the rubberfaced ring rotating rolls B1 and 59.

The gear 55 through an idler gear 85 may drive a gear 81 mounted on acam shaft 99 journalled in the bed I5. The shaft .89 carries an endthrust cam 9|, against which a rod 93 is held by a spring 95. The rod:93 is reciproca-bly mounted in a hollow screw 91 against which thespring 95 bears and by which the tension of the spring is adjusted. Theguide member 19 is coupled to the rod 93 through a bracket 98, and isreciprocated by rotation of the cam 9| and reaction of the spring 95.

For external grinding, brackets IIJI extending upward from the guidemember I9 carry a head I93 journalllng a shaft I95 which carries on itsouter end a driving pulley I01 and on its inner end an abrasive drumI09. Brackets H3 are substituted for the heads 3| and secured to theslide 2I. These brackets carry stub shafts H5 .on which are journalledpolished steel rollers H1 which serve initially as supports for thegroups of rings, andduring grinding as abutments which position therings for grinding and by their spacing from the abrasive wheel I99determine the thickness of the rings.

On the opposite end of the bed, the brackets 45, as before, journal theshaft 49, which carries the driving pulley 5| and the driven gears 53and 55. Two sets of elastic faced ring rotating rolls I2I, I23 arealternately used, these rolls being respectively carried by shafts 1'25,I21 journalled in heads I29, I3I, which, as before, are carried I byarms I33, I35, pivoted on the shaft t9 and respectively are adjusted byscrew, nut and link assemblies I31, I39. Gear 53 meshes with pinionsI41, I43 on the shafts I25, I21 respectively and drives these shafts andthe rotating rolls carried thereby and gear 55 through idler 8-5 drivesthe cam shaft 89, as before.

It will be understood that the bearings herein described may be plainbearings or ball or roller bearings as may be preferred.

The machine may be set up for internal grinding, as shown in Figs. 1through 6, and after sufficient rings have been ground, may be changedover, as shown in Figs. 1 through 10, and the necessary externalgrinding be done, or it may be and often is preferable to set up twomachines, one equipped for internal and one for external grinding sothat the latter operation may immediatel and almost concurrently followthe former.

In use, the machine set up for internal grinding is first employed. Thedrives for the elastic faced ring rotating rolls 61, 69 and the abrasivedrums 39 are started and by means of the arm 25 one or the other of thering supports M, and the related grinding drum 39 are shifted away fromcontact with the rolls E1, 59. Preferably, but not necessarily, thedriving belt 3? of the abrasive drum, as the drum is shifted away fromthe rotating rolls, is slackened by the shift and the speed of the drumallowed to slow down. A batch or group of rings 43 is hung on therelated support GI over the drum with the rings around both thereof, butout of contact with the drum. The arm 21 is shifted bringing theexterior surfaces of the rings so supported against the retating rolls,and the abrasive drum into grinding relation with the rings and at thesame time tightening the driving belt of the abrasive drum and grindingis proceeded withuntil the internal grinding of the ring is completed.Concurrently the other of the supports GE and related abrasive drum 39are shifted away from the rotating rolls setting them up to permitplacing of another group of rings for grinding and in subsequentoperations for removal of internally finished rings, and similarreplacement.

'After the rings have been internally ground they are transferred to themachines set up for external grinding, one of the steel rollers H1 isshifted away from the grinding wheel I99 and ring rotating rolls IN, orI23, as the case may be, and a group of rings d3 hung on the roller.Shift is made by the arm 25 to bring the rings so supported against therotating rolls I23 and the abrading drum I99 and the other of therollers II1 away from grinding relation and into position to receive anadditional group of rings. Subsequent to completion of grinding of thefirst group the second group is shifted by movement of the same arm 25into grinding relation and the first said roller and group of rings awayfrom such relation and into position for ring'removal and replacementand repetition of the cycle,

It will be understood that for'internal grinding the spacing of the ringrotating rolls must be adjusted by shift of the nut 81 along the screw93, and for external grinding both sets must be similarly adjusted tocompensate for varying ring diameters. During grinding the cam 9| andspring constantly reciprocate the abrasive wheel relatively to the ringsbeing ground. Preferably the rotating rollers are driven in opposeddirection relatively to the abrasive drums.

A set screw M5 and complementary slot I41, closed at its opposite ends,or other stop means, limit the opposite shifts of the slide 21 forinternal grinding and a similar but larger slot I49, and set screw I55limit the opposite movements of the slide for external grinding, one orthe other of the set screws being used as the operation being performedrequires.

I claim:

1. A machine for grinding piston rings, including ring grinding means,elastic faced ring rotating means, means for driving said grindingmeans, means for driving said ring rotating means, dual means forindependently supporting groups of rings out of contact with saidgrinding means, and said driving means, means carrying both saidring-supporting means, and manually operable means for shifting saidcarrying means to bring rings carried by either one .of said supportingmeans at option into rotating and grinding contact respectively withsaid rotating and grinding means, and rings carried by the other of saidsupporting means concurrently away from said contacts and intoaccessible position for removal of rings from, and placement ofadditional rings on, said supporting means.

2. A machine for grinding piston rings including dual ring grindingmeans, elastic faced ring rotating means, means for driving saidgrinding means, means for driving said ring rotating means, dual meansfor independently supporting groups of rings for grinding, out ofcontact with said grinding and said driving means, means carrying bothsaid ring supporting means, and said dual grinding means, manuallyoperable means for shifting said carrying means with reference to saidring rotating means to bring rings carried by either one of saidsupporting means at option into rotating and grinding contactrespectively with said rotating and grinding means, and rings carried bythe other thereof concurrently away from said contacts and intoaccessible position for removal of rings from, and placement ofadditional rings on, said supporting means.

3. A machine for grinding piston rings, including ring grinding means,elastic faced ring rotating means, means for driving said grindingmeans, means for driving said ring rotating means, dual means forindependently supporting groups of rings out of contact with saidrotating and said grinding means, means carrying both said ringsupporting means, and manually operable means for shifting said carryingmeans with reference to said ring rotating means and said grinding meansto bring rings carried by either one of said supporting means at optioninto rotating and grinding contact respectively with said rotating andgrinding means, and rings carried by the other thereof concurrently awayfrom said contacts and into accessible position for removal of ringsfrom, and placement of additional rings on, said supporting means.

4. A machine for grinding piston rings, including a bed, a slide mountedfor transverse shift across said bed, a pair of heads carried by saidslide and spaced horizontally apart therealong, abrasive drumsjournalled respectively by said heads and extending longitudinallytherefrom, means for driving said abrasive drums, related ring supportscarried by said heads and overlying said drums, a pair of elastic'facedring ro- 6 tating rolls, spaced vertically apart, between said abrasivedrums, bearings carried by said bed journalling said rolls and means fordriving said rolls; and manually operable handle means for shifting saidslide to bring either of said abrasive drums into grinding contact withsaid rings therearound and said rings into contact with said rotatingrolls, and the other said drum away from said rolls for removal andreplacement of rings around said drum, the spacing of said abrasivedrums and related ring supports along said slide being sufiicient toinsure rings supported by one' said support being moved clear of saidrotating rolls when rings carried by the other are in rotating contactwith said rolls and grinding contact with said abrasive drum.

5. A machine for grinding piston rings, including a bed, a slide mountedfor transverse shift across said bed, a pair of cylindrical metal ringsupporting rollers spaced horizontally apart along said slide andjournalled by and extending longitudinally therefrom, bearings carriedby said bed at the level of said rollers, a shaft journalled by saidbearings and extending longitudinally therefrom and between saidrollers, carrying an abrasive drum, and means for driving said shaft anddrum, elastic faced ring rotating rolls in pairs spaced laterally onopposite sides of said drum with the rolls of each pair lyingrespectively above and below said drum, bearings carried by said bedjournalling said rolls and means for driving said rolls; and manuallyoperable handle means for shifting said slide to bring rings carried byeither of said rollers into grinding contact with said abrasive drum andinto rotating contact with a related pair of said rolls, and the othersaid roller away from said drum and rolls for removal and replacement ofrings around said drum, the spacing of said rollers along said slidebeing sufficient to insure rings supported by one thereof being movedclear of said rotating rolls and drum when rings carried by the otherthereof are in rotating contact with said rolls and grinding contactwith said drum.

JOHN H. RIEDLING.

